Chef's Kiss - T.J. Alexander

Title: Chef's Kiss
Author: T.J. Alexander
Genre: Chick-lit, LGBTQA+
Rating: 4/5
# pages: 308
Date read: September, 2023

Simone Larkspur is a perfectionist pastry expert with a dream job at The Discerning Chef, a venerable cookbook publisher in New York City. All she wants to do is create the perfect loaf of sourdough and develop recipes, but when The Discerning Chef decides to bring their brand into the 21st century by pivoting to video, Simone is thrust into the spotlight and finds herself failing at something for the first time in her life.

To make matters worse, Simone has to deal with Ray Lyton, the new test kitchen manager, whose obnoxious cheer and outgoing personality are like oil to Simone’s water. When Ray accidentally becomes a viral YouTube sensation with a series of homebrewing videos, their eccentric editor in chief forces Simone to work alongside the chipper upstart or else risk her beloved job. But the more they work together, the more Simone realizes her heart may be softening like butter for Ray.

Things get even more complicated when Ray comes out at work as nonbinary to mixed reactions—and Simone must choose between the career she fought so hard for and the person who just might take the cake (and her heart).


Really sweet book. It came highly recommended by a friend whose tastes I trust, so I was already inclined to love it and it did not disappoint.

I really enjoyed seeing how Simone and Ray's friendship evolved, and how Ray got Simone to open up in other areas of her life as well. I loved the cooking aspect and only wish it had taken up a bigger part of the book than it had.

The transphobia annoyed me - but it was supposed to. I just wish we had seen more of a comeuppance to the people involved, but I guess it's more realistic this way. I thought Simone's reactions to both Luna and Ray seemed realistic - not perfect, sometimes making it more about her than it needed to be, but she tried her best, and worked on improving herself when she failed.

I'll definitely check out more of this author!

Chef's Choice - T.J. Alexander

Title: Chef's Choice (Chef's Kiss #2)
Author: T.J. Alexander
Genre: Chick-lit, LGBTQA+
Rating: 3/5
# pages: 336 pages
Date read: October, 2023

When Luna O’Shea is unceremoniously fired from her frustrating office job, she tries to count her she’s a proud trans woman who has plenty of friends, a wonderful roommate, and a good life in New York City. But blessings don’t pay the bills.

Enter Jean-Pierre, a laissez-faire trans man and the heir to a huge culinary empire—which he’ll only inherit if he can jump through all the hoops his celebrity chef grandfather has placed in his path. First he needs a girlfriend, a role that Luna is happy to play…for the right price. She’s got rent to pay, after all! Second they both need to learn how to cook a series of elaborate, world-renowned family recipes to prove that Jean-Pierre is a worthy heir. Admittedly, Luna doesn’t even know how to crack an egg, but she’s not going to let that—or any pesky feelings for Jean-Pierre—stop her.


Not as good as the first book, unfortunately. I loved "Chef's Kiss", but never felt I got to know Luna and JP as well as I did Simone and Ray - nor was I as charmed by them.

A shame, as I usually love the fake-dating trope (and that part was done really well), but since I felt the relationship was a lot more tell than show, I never truly bought that their feelings changed.

That said, I did appreciate that it was more "slow-burn" than "third act break-up", and I loved the confrontation with JP's grandfather near the end.

So a good book - but not a great one.